After blowing hard all day on Saturday, our lake is half open. The ice being pushed around was still solid and the photo below shows where the ice pack hit our shore. If you look carefully you can see the ice broke the cement boat ramp in half.
Ice-out Begins
My ice-out prediction was off a bit. With the wind being forecast tomorrow I am sure we will be ice-free by tomorrow night. Today a gentle breeze pushed the ice away from our shore, but tonight the wind direction switched. The power in that slow moving mass of ice is amazing. Check out what the ice did to our boat ramp, a 4-6 inch cement slab. The first photos in this album were taken this morning. The last 4 were taken about 7:30 pm. The last week of warm temps have been encouraging. The grass is starting to turn green and other indicators show that our spring is starting to catch up!
Hurry Up Spring!
We are doing what we can to help advance our spring. Here we are thawing out the shutoff valve to cabin 6. Another photo shows a snow bank we have pushed over and spread out so it melts faster. We have heard loons calling as they fly over nearly every morning this week. They must be finding open water somewhere; but certainly not Boot Lake.
Spring is Here!
Mother Nature has been benevolent and kind this past weekend. Several days of 60 degree temps have done a number on the snow banks. The lake ice is still solid and we still have 12” in the woods, but spring took a huge jump in the right direction. Friday, the first really warm day, nearly everyone was experiencing that “finally winter is over” emotional high. One cannot fully appreciate spring until they have had a real winter to give it meaning. It is a little like canoeing on a large, expansive lake all day and then coming into a small, quiet, intimate lake to set up camp. The strong contrast gives each experience more significance. So for now, we are celebrating dry roads, each wave of new summer birds, and every time the frost “goes out” allowing yet another puddle to seep away.
30 Days Until We Open
Only 30 more days until we open. These guys will be back soon. Checkout the water drop on the bill of this loon. Great shot Sarah Neighbors!
Spring Comparison
We have started our spring routine. Yesterday, one job was to plow a path to each cabin so we could access them for cleaning. Hope you enjoy the photos of what your resort looks like right now, compared to this time last year.
Poor Mother Goose
Long winter getting you down? Consider this mother goose sitting on her nest. This photo, taken yesterday (April 18) by my brother living in the cities, might help put things into perspective. Yes, the never-ending winter is creating some inconvenience, but like this goose we will persevere! Thanks Mark for this great photo. By the way, the current snow depth in the woods is 18 inches on the level and still 2 to 3 feet of solid ice on most lakes.
2013 Craft Project: String Backpacks
Here is a sneak preview of our 2013 craft project. These string backpacks are made of canvas and seem to be just the right size for books, notebooks, cameras, binoculars, etc. I have adopted one of the prototypes and use it every time we travel or head to town. The logo is classic leather, similar to the Duluth Pack Company! In the photo below, Dave is securing the edges with pop rivets and fabric glue. Looking forward to sharing this great project with our guests this summer!
April Snow Report
Here’s your Boot Lake “spring” snow report. As of Sunday April 7, it is still a foot deep in the yard above the beach and 17 inches on the level in the woods. Last week an ice-fishing friend reported the ice at least two feet deep. I am sure this will be a hard winter on the deer herd. Today we had a couple young ones show up mid-afternoon at the bird feeders. To come up next to the house during the middle of the day to search for a few scattered sunflower seeds, gives an indication how hungry they are. The good news for the deer is the snow has melted enough that they are starting to move around a bit, so they have access to more food with less effort. As you can see, we still have plenty of snow.
Baking Bread
Ever since we lived in a remote Eskimo village (teaching Eskimos), Mary has made most of our own bread. Summer is busy, but winter brings more free time for things like baking bread. We have noticed a renewed interest in baking your own bread, especially with the younger set. So far this winter, Mary has had two sessions with 5 different gals. During one of those lessons, Mary tried grinding wheat berries (don’t ask me why they call them berries?), to make her own flour. She mixed this with her normal white flour to create a coarse textured bread with great flavor. I have included a photo of one of our favorites: an artisan bread with rosemary and lemon.
Skate Skiing on Boot Lake Video
Skate skiing utilizes a graceful skating motion to propel the skier forward versus the traditional kick and glide of the classic style. Last winter, due to limited snow fall, we were able to maintain a groomed trail on the lake, perfect for skate skiing. I was fortunate to have the camera along on this beautiful day, when the frosty morning was transformed by the bright sun and blue sky about midway through our ski. In my mind, this morning ranks right up there as one of our best. Enjoy this video if you have a minute and a half.
Branded Photo Collage
Here are some images from last summer’s craft project. The kids started with individual pine blocks which were pre-drilled. With a specially designed jig to hold everything tight, all the wood pieces were connected using pocket screws. After branding, the kids cut out their favorite resort photos, tucked them into the pre-cut slots which buckled the photos into a tight fitting arch.
